


eloquent

by pokerap



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Caught in the Act, First Kiss, Insomnia, M/M, apologies to caspar he didn't deserve this, this starts out serious but it definitely doesn't stay that way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:35:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22081156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pokerap/pseuds/pokerap
Summary: The tension building between Jeritza and Hubert reaches a breaking point. Shame they're interrupted.
Relationships: Jeritza von Hrym/Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 13
Kudos: 67





	eloquent

The training grounds are empty at this time of night, silent save for the sound of his scythe hitting the training dummy. It rattles and shakes, nearly reaching the breaking point time and time again, but never quite shattering beneath his strength. He’d been told not to break any more, and while he doesn’t particularly care to follow orders, there _is_ a challenge in holding himself back.

Jeritza pauses in his swings when he hears the doors to the training grounds open. Silence follows - at least until he turns, scythe cleaving downward in a clean arc—

Only to stop a mere breath away from the intruder’s neck.

“Why didn’t you block,” Jeritza asks. His voice is tight, tighter than his expression.

“I didn’t need to.” Hubert answers easily, the barest hint of a smirk tugging on one corner of his mouth.

It’s true, as aggravating as it is to agree with Hubert von Vestra of all people. Jeritza releases a breath - too angry to be a sigh - and lowers the weapon. Hubert’s smirk widens.

“Had I been too far gone, I would have killed you.”

“You weren’t.” The mage’s words are certain and Jeritza can’t help but narrow his eyes. “If you weren’t yourself, you wouldn’t be here training.”

That’s also true. Were he not in control, he would have left the grounds. It’s also annoying that Hubert can read him like that. Jeritza turns his attention back to the training dummy, but finds he isn’t particularly interested in continuing with Hubert’s eyes boring holes into the back of his head. “What do you want?” He asks instead.

“Do I need a reason to watch you train?”

_No,_ He nearly says before he catches himself. Jeritza turns, studying Hubert intently. Hubert doesn’t do anything without a reason. He wouldn’t be here without one. If he hasn’t made his intentions clear, then either he’s here to eliminate Jeritza (unlikely; Hubert wouldn’t bother greeting him if that were the case, not that he would attempt a confrontation in the first place, he’d likely poison Jeritza’s ice cream) or he doesn’t have any particular reason to be out this late.

Insomnia, then. This isn’t the first time they’ve met like this. Sometimes they can’t sleep. Sometimes Hubert watches him train. Usually he swings a scythe at Hubert’s head first, and usually Hubert blocks the blow from connecting.

But he didn’t bother to block today.

Jeritza’s losing his edge.

“Spar with me,” He says instead of responding to the words.

If Hubert’s bothered by the abrupt topic change, he doesn’t show it. He does fake a sigh of exasperation, but he isn’t attempting to hide his smirk. It’s irritating. “How many times must I refuse before you realize it’s pointless to ask?”

He could argue that sparring would physically exhaust Hubert and likely be a more efficient way of putting him to sleep, but there’s no sense in that. There’s no sense in arguing _anything_ with Hubert, even if he had the patience to try. It’s likewise pointless to try to pick a fight - Hubert will warp himself away before Jeritza can land a hit.

It’s a stalemate they’ve come to on several nights recently. It’s frustrating. Irritating.

Hubert watches him. He stares back. They’re both waiting for something. He doesn’t know what it is.

Then Hubert sighs, and this time the smirk is gone. Is it exasperation? Is it disappointment? “Don’t stay up too late, Jeritza.”

He’s used to the warning. He’s not used to the spike of _something_ that floods through him when Hubert turns to leave. He wants to stop him, and even though Jeritza has his scythe in hand, he doesn’t want to stop Hubert with his weapon. That’s _also_ irritating, as so much about Hubert is.

So when he moves and Hubert turns, it’s as much a surprise to him as it is to the mage when his arm is secured tightly around Hubert’s waist.

Hubert’s one visible eyebrow shoots upward and he opens his mouth, and Jeritza decides he doesn’t particularly want to hear whatever cutting remark Hubert has for him. So he kisses Hubert to shut him up, because that’s what makes the most sense right now.

His grip is probably tight enough to bruise and Jeritza’s never kissed anyone before. It briefly occurs to him that Hubert will be annoyed by either (or both) of these. Instead, Hubert’s hands come up - one resting on the side of his face gently, the other threading back into his hair - and the mage returns the kiss and—

Oh.

_Oh._

Is this what Hubert was waiting for? Is this what they _both_ were waiting for? He doesn’t have long to ponder that before the hand in his hair _pulls_ , and the sound that leaves him is startled, angry, desperate.

Jeritza doesn’t notice when his scythe drops from his other hand. Hubert doesn’t seem to care when his back hits the nearest column or when Jeritza impatiently tugs at his collar to get at his neck. The sound that leaves the mage when Jeritza bites down is decadent.

Were this any other night, perhaps the tension that’s been building between them for years would have finally snapped. But unfortunately, the doors to the training grounds creak open and suddenly they’re not alone. There’s no hiding them - they’re right by the entrance in plain sight. Jeritza doesn’t move, even though Hubert’s hands have flown off him like he’s on fire.

Caspar stares at both of them for a very long time. Jeritza stares back. Hubert squirms beneath him as though to free himself.

“Um,” Caspar finally says.

“Hmm,” Jeritza replies.

“Eloquent,” Hubert mutters under his breath.

“I was just… uh…” Caspar motions with a hand, presumably trying to indicate something. Jeritza doesn’t know what it’s supposed to be.

“Going back to bed?” Hubert prompts. There’s something unfamiliar in his voice. It isn’t anger or irritation or any of the many things Jeritza has heard from the mage before. One look at Hubert reveals that it must be embarrassment. He’s bright red, all the way to the tips of his ears.

“Yeah!” Caspar’s voice is very loud and very distracting. “Going back to bed!”

“And you won’t speak a word of this to anyone?” Hubert is trying very hard not to look at Jeritza. He leans forward to bite that exposed section of Hubert’s neck again and the mage’s hand comes up and clamps over his mouth with a strength he hadn’t realized Hubert possessed.

From the corner of his eye, he notices that Caspar’s also bright red now. “Y-Yeah! Of course! D-Definitely! Not a word to anyone! Ever!” He spins on his heel so hard he nearly trips, and he’s out the doors in a matter of seconds. It’s the fastest he’s ever seen Caspar move.

For a moment, there’s silence. Hubert still hasn’t let go. Jeritza considers biting him.

“Tomorrow,” The mage whispers, hushed, even though they’re the only people here now. “Not here.”

“Your room?” He asks. It’s slightly muffled. Hubert seems to realize that his hand is still over Jeritza’s mouth and pulls back with a grimace.

“Absolutely not,” Or perhaps that grimace was for his suggestion. “Caspar’s room is next door.”

Jeritza lifts his shoulders a bit but doesn’t release Hubert. “Punishment for interrupting us.”

Hubert opens his mouth, then closes it. Tries again. Jeritza has never seen him this speechless. “No,” He finally manages.

“Eloquent.”

If Hubert’s blush had abated any by now, then it’s returned with a vengeance. He’s red all the way down to the mark Jeritza has left just below his collar. It’s a pretty sight. He wants to leave another mark. “Goodnight, Jeritza.”

It’s obvious he’s trying to regain some control of the situation. Jeritza doesn’t feel like fighting him on it. He releases the mage. “Goodnight.”

Hubert takes that as his cue to leave and Jeritza watches him go. It’s also the fastest he’s ever seen Hubert move.

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be serious, but somehow it turned into this? I'm so sorry. (No I'm not.)


End file.
